NBA: Holiday's brother signs up with Sixers

Sixers general manager Tony DiLeo had alerted the agent of Justin Holiday that he was looking to sign the guard through the remainder of the Sixers’ season. There were some Is to be dotted and Ts to be crossed, however.

“Tony and I pulled Jrue in and asked him, ‘Would you be OK with this?’” Sixers coach Doug Collins said of a Saturday conversation he had with All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday. “There’s a lot of familial stuff that goes with it, especially if you bring (Justin) into training camp and you wonder what happens if you have to let the guy go and how does it affect Jrue.

“Jrue was very excited and it should be fun.”

Monday, after practice at PCOM, the Sixers welcomed Justin Holiday into the mix. They signed him from the Idaho Stampede of the NBA’s Development League, where the soon-to-be 24-year-old posted decent numbers. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.

To make room for Holiday, the Sixers sent deep reserve Jeremy Pargo on his way.

The transaction does more than give the Sixers (30-43), who visit Charlotte Wednesday, a nine-game look at a player they might be interested in retaining through next season. It also reunites the Holiday brothers, born 14 months apart, who haven’t been teammates since their high school days at Los Angeles’ Calvert Hall.

“The last time we were on the court together,” Justin said, “we were playing against each other.”

Justin played his college ball at Washington, while Jrue played one season with Pac-10 rival UCLA.

“It’s been a minute since I played with him,” Jrue said. “My praying paid off.”

A 6-6, 180-pound guard, Justin Holiday likely will give the Sixers what Jrue cannot. The trademarks of Justin’s game are defending and disrupting passing lanes while also creating shots for himself. While Jrue has become adept at the latter, the first two are more appropriate for his long-armed, lean big brother.

Justin Holiday appeared in 47 games, making 42 starts, for Idaho this season. He averaged 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 24 steals, while shooting 42 percent from the field and from the 3-point line.

“It was a grind,” Justin said of playing in the D-League. “At the end of the day, I was playing the sport I love for my job. If you have a dream, what are you going to do — stop and not make it (happen)?”

Latching on with the Sixers was a full-circle scenario. He kicked around the preseason camps of Cleveland and Portland, after playing with the Sixers in the Orlando Summer League. So more than a few of the guys on Collins’ roster are familiar with him.

Don’t count Evan Turner among them, though.

“I know him through Jrue,” Turner said. “And if Jrue’s a good guy, I’ll bet my dollar that Justin’s a good guy, too.”

For much of Monday’s practice, Justin played opposite of Jrue for all but the final two minutes, when they were aligned in the same backcourt. Other than sharing time on outdoor courts during the summer, the Holiday brothers haven’t played together during their professional careers.

Jrue said he didn’t give his older brother any advice about his new team. Giving him a temporary place to stay and a car to borrow should be enough, right?

“He hasn’t really asked me much yet, like dress code, so we might stop somewhere after this,” Jrue said. “I’m always down for a new outfit. We both got new contracts, so he might have to buy.”